Walt Disney WorldA History in PostcardsChapter 9 Disney-MGM Studios Page 4 The
Hollywood that never was--and always will be

The Disney marketing machine really pulled out all the stops for
this parks grand opening stars of the old guard (such as Bob Hope
and Walter Cronkite ) and stars who had joined Disney in it's
growth and revitalization (Bette Midler, Robin Williams and
George Lucas) all were part of the celebration. The Disney-MGM
Studios Theme Park opened 9 am May 1, 1989, (over a full year
before MCA/Universal opened its new Florida park)
0100-71122 The Chinese
Theater

According to Matt Hochberg Webmaster of Disney MGM Studios Information and
Guide -http://www.mgmstudios.orgDespite persistent rain
throughout the day, people flocked by the hundreds to experience
Disney's newest creation. In fact, the parking lot closed an hour
after opening, leaving traffic backed up for miles. The Media
covered the opening from different parts of the Studio, in front
of different attractions. Streetmosphere characters kept the
large crowds and long lines entertained. Disney Company CEO
Michael Eisner read the dedication plaque at the opening
ceremony: The world you have entered was created by The Walt
Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood--not a place on a
map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and
wonder and imagine; a place where illusion and reality are fused
by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never
was--and always will be.

Actor John Ritter hosted the event and provided
some humor, after poking fun at the process that took place to
bring the Studios into becoming a reality. The show opened with a
big musical number starring Smokey Robinson that was a good
launch as he and numerous dancers made their way down Hollywood
Boulevard.

Another smartly paced musical featured Buster
Poindexter, Ashford and Simpson and Ann Miller in three dance
numbers that were well-choreograph and entertaining. Other
highlights of the show included clips with Harry Anderson showing
how special effects are created and with Tony Randall talking
about the workings of animation. The show actually was fairly
full through its first 90 minutes, but quickly dropped off as
last half-hour went into a long concert session with the Pointer
Sisters, George Burns (the highlight) and a rather uninspired
Willie Nelson.

There was also a good deal of walking the television
audience around this new park, which features a ride similar to
the one at Universal Studios through a film studio back lot. The
park also has sessions for audiences to take part in filming
along with booths where children can dub their own voices into
cartoons, and so on. There is more on Matts site about the
founding of the studios on the page: http://www.mgmstudios.org/history.html

One element of the design of this park was a return to a sort
of spoke and hub design, though not having sperate individual
"lands" like the Magic Kingdom there is still some element of
that design and particularly of a "Main Street" leading to the
center of the park, which in this case is named Hollywood
Boulevard. Many of the buildings on Hollywood Boulevard are
replicas of actual Hollywood landmarks, from the often pictured
Chinese Theater, to Sid Cahunggas bungalow, and even the ticket
booths, main gate, and toll booths at the entry of the parking area are
styled after the Pan-Pacific Auditorium. Sunset Boulevard has shops housed
in facades replicating two classic California theatres, the
Academy Theatre in Inglewood CA , and the Carthay Circle theatre
of Beverly Hills which is the theatre where Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs premiered.
When the studios first opened many of these structures
originals still stood in California, sadly time has taken it's
toll on quite a few of them in the years since, but, that's all
the more reason to be glad that they are still represented here.
There is a fairly good accounting of just what buildings were
replicated in the books Since the World Began by Jeff Kurti, and
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture by Beth
Dunlop.

Another replica of a California landmark is the Crossroads of
the world, which though located on Sunset Boulevard in the actual
Hollywood is at the center of the "Town Square" end of Hollywood
Boulevard, this Crossroads of the World deviates from the
original in another way atop this Crossroads is a
casting of Mickey Mouse, a special casting that also serves as a
lightning rod for the structure.